Condenser for liquid-storage tanks



Ju!y 7, 1925. 1,545,352

E. J. RODRlGUEZ CONDENSER FOR LIQUID STORAGE TANKS Filed Sept. 28, 1923 2Sheets-Shee1: l

e m A5 1 a I ,7 I I za 5 4 6 i ll I i l :1 l 'l I i 1! li l I II I I: H n II II U WITNESSES v INVENTOR fidkaozezaws'z ATTORNEYS July 7, 1925.

E. J. RODRIGUEZ counzussn FOR LIQUID STORAGE TANKS 5 Filed se t. 28, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WI HI m mumm INVENTOR ECIRODEZGUE'Z;

. WITNESSES v I ATTORNEYS To all whom it may and permit of the Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES/PATENT OFFICE.

nnwm Jos'Ern nonmaunz, or NEW 03mins, LOUISIANA.-

GONDENSER FOB LIQUID-STORAGE TANKS.

concern: Be it known that I, EDWIN J. RODRIGUEZ,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana,.have invented a new and Improved Condenser for Liquid- Storage Tanks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in liquid storing apparatus,- and has particular reference to a condenser therefor.

In the storage of gasoline and other volatile oils, it is the common practice to provide the storage tank with a vent pipe to compensate for expansion within the tank escape of the vapors from the tank into the atmosphere. known that this method. of storage results in a considerable loss in volume, due to evaporation, aside from the fact that tanks having vent pipes have been known to be struck 12y lightning causing great damage and loss y re. Y

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the use of vent pipes on storage tanks and to provide an improved apparatus capable of absorbing and condensing the vapors emanating from volatile oils, such as gasoline, crude oil,

, a minimum.

kerosene and the like, stored in said tanks.

Another object isto cause the return to the tank of all but a very of the condensed vapors'and to convey such portion of the unreturned fluid from the immediate vicinity of the tank in such manner that the danger of loss from ignition of said unreturned portion will be reduced to The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detail description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a complete side elevation of a storage tank showing the condensing apparatus of the present invention applied thereto; and

Figure 2 is-a fragmentary enlargedsectional view of the condensing apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the accom panyin drawings, the numeral 3 indicates genera y a storage tank, which may be constructed in any well known manner, and which is provided with the usual cover or top 4.

It is well small percentage said pipe surrounding and Application filed September 2a, 1923. Serial No. 685,511.

respect to said pipe, the inner chamber 7.

enclosing the outer end of the pipe 5. The

inner chamber 7 is provided in the side wall thereof and intermediate its ends .wlth -a cation between said chambers. In practice, it isdesirable though not absolutely necessary, to artially fill the chambers 6 and ,7 with a l w gravity gasoline or other absorbing oil, indicated by the numeral 9, the level of said oil being above the ports 8 and below the upper or outlet end of the pipe 5, so that as the vapor passes out of the pipe 5 into the portion of the chamber 7 above the level of the liquid 9, a portion of said vapor Will be condensed by contact with the upper end'of the chamber 7 and the pressure mm w1th1n the tank will cause the remaining vapor to 'be forced through the liquid in the chamber portion of the vapor is condensed into liquid form and mixes with the absorbing or condensing medium 9. In order that the con-v densed vapor may be returned'to the tank- 3,-

an overflow pipe 10 is provided, the upper end of which communicates with the interior of the chamber 6 at a point below the upper end of the pipe 5, so that as saidchamber gradually fills and the level of the l1qu1d reaches that of the upper end of the connection or pipe 10, the liquid will flow through said pi e and from thence downwardly into the tank The portion of'the vapor which remains uncondensed after-passa e throu the medium 9 rises inthe chain er 6 an impinges against the upper end thereof. To fac litate the condensation of this vapor', the invention provides a spraying deuce, 1n the'form of a circular pipe 11, having a plurality of perforations 1n the lower ortion thereof eing supported plurality of. ports 8 for afi'ordin'g communi-- water supply (not shown) and the flow of water through the perforations in the pipe 11 is controlled by a suitable valve 13. It will thus be seen that by means of the spraying device a continuous stream of water may be caused to flow over the top and down the side wall of the outer chamber 6 which will facilitate the condensation of vapor impinging against the interior surface of the upper end of said outer chamber. The condensed vapor will then fall on to the surface of the medium 9 and eventuallypass downwardly into the tank 3.

Means are further provided for utilizing the water from the spraying device 11 for effecting the condensation of any vapor which might not be condensed by contact with the walls of the inner or outer chambers or passage through the .medium 9, which vapor will escape through the pipe 12. To this end, there is secured to the outer chamber 6 adjacent the lower end thereof an outwardly directed annular flange 14 combining with the side Wall of said outer chamber to form a troughlike structure for receiving the water as the same flows down the side wall of the outer chamber. An outlet pipe 15 has one end connected to said trough and its discharge end positioned over a reservoir 16, preferably mounted upon the top 4 of the tank. The outlet pipe 15 is provided with a valve 17 which may be opened to permit the water to flow into the reservoir 16, or which may be closed so-as to stop the flow into said reservoir. In the latter event, the water in the trough will overflow on to the top 4 of the tank 3 and down the sides thereof to cool the tank should this be deemed necessary. While the valve 17 is open and the spraying device is in operation, a constant stream of water is flowing into the reservoir 16 and from thenceoutwa'rdly through an overflow pipe 18, which is extended to any desired point at a considerable distance from the tank away from the fire limits thereof. The end of the outlet pipe 12 opposite that connected to the top of the outer chamber 6 is extended into the reservoir 16 to a point adjacent the bottom thereof so that the residual wapor from the chamber 6 will be forced to pass through said pipeand from thence upwardly through the water in the reservoir 16. Said vapor is thus condensed and will flow out of the reservoir through the overflow pipe 18. The quantity of vapor thus condensed is so negligible that should the liquid in the reservoir become ignited it would quickly burn itself out without dangelfk' of igniting the main supply in the ta 3.

The pipe 12 is provided therein with an air inlet valve 19, which will automatically open should a vacuum be created in the tank, due'to changes in atmosphere, thus permitting air to flow into the outer chamher 6 and destroy the vacuum. The outer chamber 6 may be provided with a valve controlled inlet 20 through which a low gravity oil, comprising the absorbing medium 9, may be poured into said chamberv whenever desired.

\Vhat. is claimed is:

1. The combination with a storage tank having a pipe projecting from its top, of inner and outer chambers mounted on said pipe with the end of the pipe terminating short of the top of the inner chamber, the inner chamber being provided with openings intermediate of its ends establishing communication between said chambers.

2. In combination, a storage tank for containing volatile. oils, inner and outer vapor provided with a pipe extending from its top, of inner and outer cencentric chambers mounted on the pipe with its end terminating short of the top of the inner chamber, the inner chamber having openln s m its ends, an overflow pipe leading rom the outer chamber below the upper end of the pipe extending from the tank into the outer chamber, and means for spraymg water on the outer chamber;

4. In combinatioifia storage tank for containing volatile oils, a chamber having communication 'with said tank and inwhichtvapor from said tank is condensed, an overflow connection between said chamber and tank through which the condensed .vapor flows from said chamber to said tank, means for spraying a liquid over said chamber to.

produce condensation of the vapor therein, a reservoir for receiving the liquid sprayed over said chamber, and a connection between said chamber and reservoir for passing uncondensed vapor from said chamber through the liquid in said reservoir. 7 5. In combination, a storage tank forcontainingvolatile oils, a vapor outlet -p1pe extending from said tank, inner and outer con-.

densing chambers supported by said outlet pipe and arranged concentrically with reanda spect thereto, said inner chamber havingports for establishing communication between said chambers, a condensing. medium in said chambers, an overflow connection between the o'uter chamber and the interior of said tank, said connection communicating with the interior of said-outer chamber at a point below the outlet end of said vapor outlet pipe, a reservoir supported upon said tank, a second outlet pipe extending from said outer chamber into said reservoir for conveying vapor from said outer chamber to said reservoir, a trough su ported'by said outer chamber, a spraying diavice for spraying a liquid over said outer chamber and into said trough, and a valve controlled connection between said trou h and reservoir for permitting the liquid rom said tro'ugh to flow into said reservoir.

v6. The combination with a storage tank having a pipe extending from its top, of outer and inner condensing chambers communicatingwith each other and supported upon said pipe one within the other, and in spaced relation to one another, with the pipe extending into the inner chamber and terminating short of the upper end thereof,

outer c amber at a int below the uppgr end of the pipe wit in the inner cham r into the tank to convey the condensed vapor from said chamber into the tank.

7. The combination with a storage tank having a pipe projecting from its top, of outer and inner chambers supportedupon said pipe one within the other and. in spaced relation to one another, with the said pipe ipe leading from one side of the.

extending into the inner chamber and terminating short of the top thereof, the inner chamber bein provided with openings intermediate of 1ts ends, a condensing medium in said chambers, the level of said medium bein above the openings of said chamber and relow the top'of said pipe, and a pipe leading from one side of the outer chamber at a point below the upper end of the pipe within the inner chamber to the tank to convey the condensed vapor from said chamber to said,tank.

8. The combination with a storage tank, of a condenser supported above the tank, a pipe for leading the condensed vapor from the condenser into the tank, means for delivering water upon the condenser, and a trough carried by the condenser atthe lower end thereof for receiving the water flowing over the condenser, and a valved discharge pipe leading from the trough, whereby by closing the valve the overflow of the trou will be delivered onto the tank to cool the.

same. i

9. A condenser of the character described comprising two chambers one within the other and in spaced relation to each other, the inner chamber having-o nings therein, a ipe upon whichthe cham rs are mounte in concentric relation thereto the upper end of the pipe terminating short of the top of the inner chamber and above the openings thereof and the lower end of the'said pipe extending through the outer chamber and adapted to be secured to a tank, and a vapor outlet in the to of the outer chamber.

EDWIN JO S PH RODRIGUEZ 

